Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

Pedro Is Ready for Game 6

Cole Hamels will pitch Game 5 of the NLCS tomorrow night.

And who will pitch Game 6 in Los Angeles, if the Phillies need it?

Pedro Martinez said he is ready. He threw a bullpen session this afternoon during a voluntary workout at Citizens Bank Park, which puts him on line to start Game 6. He threw seven scoreless innings in Game 2, but while he threw well he would not mind waiting a little longer to pitch. He would like to see the Phillies wrap up the series tomorrow night to clinch their second consecutive berth in the World Series.

Asked if he thinks the Phillies need to be reminded not to take their foot off the gas, Martinez said, “This team doesn’t need to be told. This team has proven over and over that this team is all about business. If we were a car, right now we probably would be in trouble with the law. This team really speeds up and never lets down. I think we’re more of a NASCAR type of team.

“We feel like we are in the driver’s seat … in a NASCAR driver’s seat. I think we have a very good chance to actually win it tomorrow, and we’re going to try. But that team is good. The other team is good. We have to pay attention to them and just stay focused.”

The Phillies still could pitch left-hander Cliff Lee in Game 6, but could bring him back on extra rest in Game 7.

“We’re all on the bubble,” Martinez said. “I’m ready right now. If you ask me if I could pitch today, yes, I could pitch.”

I not only think Pedro could be a Phillie, I think he SHOULD be a Phillie. I’ll be surprised if Moyer comes back from his surgery and, even if he does, he’s not a viable candidate for the rotation. Lee, Hamels. Martinez, Blanton and Happ would be the best rotation in MLB.

It took Pedro so long to get a job this year because of his salary demands. I believe he was asking in the neighborhood of $5 million back in April. Sign him if he accepts an incentive laden deal. If he is not willing to do so let him take a hike. The problem with the Martinez’, Glavine, and Smoltz of the world is that they believe it is their divine right to continue to get paid for past performance. It is as if they were not paid adequately at the time and now they have to make up for it. This is not your father’s MLB where players had to pump gas or dig graves during the off season to make ends meet. Give or take a few million here and there, Pedro has made $145 million during his career. Glavine has made $129 million and Smoltz $130 million. Besides just within the past several days one commentator noted that Pedro pitches with pain all of the time. What’s with that. The Phillies should have learned something from signing Moyer to a two year deal.

pherris: Yep, $146,259,585 through 2008. He took what was basically an incentive-laden deal to pitch for the Phils, but I wonder if he’d do it for a full season now that he figures he’s proven himself?

I still remember the backs of baseball cards, where it would tell me what job a guy did during the off-season. Now, they’re pretty much set for life if they’re a first round draft pick. I think it needs to be somewhere in between, but of course it will never regress to anywhere near the “old days.”
I bet there are a lot of guys (like Scott Eyre) who are pitching in pain – especially this time of year.
It seems like teams are always paying someone not to play, like the Phils with Eaton this year (and Thome, still?) so letting Moyer go probably won’t be such a big deal, at least I hope it’s not. I don’t like hearing a players’ salary used as a reason for playing him, like when David Bell was here. They pay him anyway, so why not put the best team on the field?

While the Pedro question is interesting, there are other options as well (not that Pedro hasn’t exceeded all expectations this year) Given that Lee, Hamels, Blanton and Happ are back, do you bring back Myers? What about Moyers who is singed to a 7 million dollar deal, what about Drabek (the wonderkid who we refused to trade to get Halliday)? What about 3rd base? Do you bring back Feliz or try to update via FA? If so, who do you go after? What about the bench? Fransisco is a keeper, as is Dobbs (assuming he rehabs from his injury) but what about Stairs, Bako, Brunlett, Cairo? WTF do we do with the bullpen? What do you do with Kendrick who has earned a spot on the team next year after being called up in Sept? Many questions for 2010, including the need to start thinking about Werth (contract ends after 2010) and the two studs who will be in LV next year.
In the meantime, let’s try to stay concentrated on tonight’s game and then on destroying the Yuckees and bringing the 2nd straight world F*ing Championship home to the City or Brotherly Love!!! Stay focussed everyone

The problem is I wouldn’t be surprised if Drabek is ready mid-season in 2010. There’s no guarantee of that, of course, so it’s good to have insurance, but it does seem that way. If Martinez can be signed cheaply, fine, but if not, no need to bother. Happ won’t have near the season he had this year but he’s still an adequate fourth starter. Fill in the fifth starter role by some sort of committee (it worked this year) until Drabek is ready to give it a shot. Blanton is going to need a contract of some sort and it will probably be around $7 to $8 million unless he wants a multi-year deal, which could be trouble.
I’d rather not pick up Feliz’s option but the 3B free agent market is not that impressive, there’s no internal option with Donald gone, and the Phils will want to avoid more contract negotiations with at least Victorino and Blanton needing a contract.

f.i.j.: Funny to hear you say “stay focused” since you were the guy who earlier wondered what the team would look like in 2012 – in the middle of the pennant race.

Stairs and Bruntlett – CUT. Feliz might be the best option and pitching situations have a way of working themselves out. I’d give Werth and Victorino as much as it took to keep them here and see what Blanton wants. I like him, but I wouldn’t go nuts with the other options they have.

As for tonight, I’m hoping it’s another early shower for Manny and a save for Lidge. It will be interesting to see if Monday’s game took the life out of the Dodgers.
And yes Jenn, I don’t want to see this go back to LA either. I don’t want to let them think they have a chance – because they don’t.

They probably don’t even know it, but Monday took a lot of life out of the Dodgers. The key is to jump on them early and tear their heart out, just like Jimmy did by hitting a home run in the first inning of game 5 last season. Make them beilieve it is inevitable.
I also think Hamels should buzz somebody in the first inning to see if Padilla responds. He is a nut getting ready to crack.

Mule: it’s one thing to discuss next year during the current season when moves can be made which may effect the next year(waiver pick-ups etc) it’s another to think about it a few hours before game 5 of the NLCS. Only comment on next years roster: If you sign Werth long term, what do you do with Brown and what’s his name who are the OFers of teh future?

Werth is already under contract for a bargain $7 MM in 2010, so I wouldn’t even worry about that until next offseason, especially with the way our farm system looks as far as outfielders. Brown won’t be ready until 2012 in all likelihood, but if Taylor is knocking down the door, you could always pull a Thome/Howard and trade Ibanez, although it’s unlikely you’d get much return for a 38 year old with such a big contract.

Werth is a FA after next season. If we aren’t going to bring him back, and decide to go with Taylor (thanks for refreshing my brain on his name) then the samrt thing to do is move him at the deadline for either a 3B or a utility inf + relief pitcher and bring taylor up then…

f.i.j.: I think I’m capable of thinking about next year’s roster 8 hours before game time, and focusing on the game when I’m in Section 106 later tonight. It’s not like we’re playing or anything. Focus can come at 8:07 for us.
And as I’ve said before, I’m not concerned with [insert position] Of the Future when I have [insert position] Of the Present that is a known quantity. These guys are winners and I’d want to keep them together for as long as possible.

We really need Cole to have a strong start tonight and get the win. His performance in the WS could easily be the deciding factor. If he loses tonight I won’t be worried about losing the NLCS but I will be quite worried about the WS. We need confident Cole vs. the Yankees.

I think what’s really cool about the noise the Phans are making during the game is that it reaches the level of a college BCS bowl game. Baseball games aren’t supposed to have fans that are so loud. Does anyone know if the Phils have a fight song from 100 years ago or something? It would be great to have everyone singing a fight song and cheering the team on, like a World Cup Soccer match. During the regular season, the stadium is loud but not like during the playoffs. If we could only bottle this and use it next season the Phils will finish with the bast home record in baseball.

Enjoy your success now. Hamels looks awful btw. Unless you can have Cliff Lee pitch every game in the WS, you guys are gonna get smacked with a dose of reality by the Bombers baby. This WS you’ll actually have an opponent, not some second rate Tampa fluke.

LOl, you guys are gonna get spanked this World Series. Bring you back down to earth. And besides, you can’t truly be crowned champs until you beat the best ever. Hamels is gonna get smacked around. Lidge is gonna get walked off of at leats twice

Neat thing about Martinez: Not only are his comments colorful, they’re even articulate and wise. If he gets chance via (ahem) pitching in game #2 and then say #5, and does well, question then may be where he would want to pitch. LA Coach sure sounded like he was quite impressed with Martinez — unlike Manuel (aka “chuckles”) who insisted, in spite of ALL evidence to the contrary, that Martinez “was done.” He might be — with the Phillies….. ah, but much still to come…. enjoy the series.

I thought the Phils had an option for 2010, but I don’t see it anywhere. So, if I were GM for a day:

1. Bring Pedro back at $5MM max for one year. 2010 rotation is Lee, Hamels, Happ, Blanton, Pedro (but see #8 below). In 2011, substitute Drabek for Pedro.
2. Myers’ $12MM, Eaton’s $8MM, Jenkins $6MM and Thome’s $4MM are gone next year. Use a portion of the savings to lock up Lee and Werth.
3. Trade Moyer for nothing more than someone willing to take on his $6MM for next year. Should be able to do that (or at least $4MM of it anyway).
4. Trade Ibanez before we regret the next 2 years and $20MM. Don’t get me wrong, I love him but with our lineup, and the emergence of Werth (and availability of Francisco), we have more than enough power, left-handed batters and strikeouts. Its just nowhere near the best value for that $20MM. Francisco hit 15HR’s in part-time duty and is better defensively. It also paves the way for Taylor or Brown in 2011.
5. Lock up Victorino and Ruiz with savings from Moyer and Ibanez trades.
6. Re-sign Feliz at $5MM with a vesting option for a second year at $6MM or buyout at $500K-1MM.
7. Bring back Myers at $3-4MM per year (2 years max) for the bullpen. If he won’t bite, move on.
8. Eyre is retiring. Who knows about Romero’s health. See what it will cost to sign George Sherrill (a good pitcher with a lower market value right now because of his performance against us).
8. Find out if Marco Scutaro will play here. Great insurance behind J-Roll and if J-Roll can’t hit more than .250 and be a real leadoff hitter, let Victorino leadoff, insert Scutaro and trade J-Roll at the deadline in a package for Halladay.

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.